1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in board games and more particularly to chess-like games utilizing a checkered playing board.
2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Games played on checkered boards are some of the oldest games known. Checkers is one game which has been known for centuries and operates according to well known rules utilizing disc-shaped playing pieces, the moves of which are well known.
Chess is likewise one of the Old World's oldest game played on a checkered board. The types of pieces are designed for movement and capture of opposing pieces simulating a simple war situation. The game of chess has remained relatively unchanged through the years, although variations have been proposed from time to time which have not been widely accepted. Examples of prior art chess-like games which have been modified from the classic game of chess include those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,466,044; 3,873,101; 1,877,154; and 1,056,526.
Other prior art checkered board games of interest include the following: MacLein U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,849 discloses a chess-like game including an additional set of horsemen-like figures representative of war, famine, death, plague, fire, and vanity. Bialek U.S. Pat. No 3,806,125 discloses a modified chess game utilizing chess pieces having a slab-like configuration, which pieces may be stacked and modified in movement characteristics. Hills U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,547 discloses a modified checkered game board of somewhat enlarged size and including a moveable piece with apertures for moving simultaneously several playing pieces. Nolte U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,626 discloses a chess-like game wherein the playing area may be enlarged by addition of different playing boards. Tebbs U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,404 discloses a game played on a checkered board with pieces simulating aircraft. Paschal U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,165 discloses a game played on a checkered board utilizing pieces simulating war ships and auxiliary equipment including planes and torpedos.